The Other Charming
by thelostcharming
Summary: Elizabeth Spencer is your typical American teen, she's captain of the cheer squad, babysits the mayors kid, has a loving home life, and lives in a great little town. What more could she possibly want? Nothing, the answer is nothing. What happens when a mysterious woman moves to town and things start to happen and why does she have the urge to volunteer more at the hospital?
1. Prologue

Many years ago in the enchanted forest…..

Once upon a time in a magical land, there lived a king and his queen, they longed for a child, but alas the queen had been cursed by an evil enchantress making it so she could never bare children. The couple longed for a child, but more than that the king longed for an heir. One night, in the middle of his wallowing a dark figure appeared in the shadows and offered to make a deal with the king, he will procure the king with an heir and all will be right with the land. What the Dark One did not tell the king was that the child he brought to him was a twin, and that at a later time he would need this child's twin. But that wasn't for many, many more years. The queen was unsure how they came to have such a wonderful and loving son, but she couldn't have been more thrilled to finally be a mother. Now that she was a mother, she longed for another child. She called upon the Dark One and begged him to find them another child, but he told her to be happy with the one, because all magic comes with a price. Frustrated and despaired the queen fled to her chambers and began to cry.

Suddenly a bright light appeared at her window, the queen looked up in alarm but was greeted not with the presence of evil, but instead of that of a fairy "Fear not my queen, I am the Blue Fairy. I have heard your cries and I wish to help. I know of the curse that surrounds your womb, and I know a way to help. The journey is not easy, and the road is quite long, but if you are willing the lady of the lake can help."

The queen stared puzzled "The lady of the lake? But she's just a myth. A…a story. She's not real."

Blue smiled and came a step closer to the queen "At the end of the day we are all a part of a story. I wish my magic could help, but this is the only way." And with that last quip the fairy vanished.

The queen ran to tell her husband of the news but he shook his head "You know nothing can fix what was done to you. There is nothing in this realm or the next that can heal you. We have James, he is all we need. This is a death wish."

"But what if we could have a child of our own, flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. Isn't it worth risking? Please husband, I beg of you let me try." The queen fell to her knees in front of her husband tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

The king closed his eyes and against his better judgement gave his blessing for his queen to go in search of the fabled lady. The journey took several weeks, but then just as quickly as it began they came upon the lake. The queen stepped closer and the water began to bubble, in front of the queen appeared a great lady dressed in white "Who are you to dare come close to my waters?" the woman's voice echoed.

"I..I am no one, just someone searching for a way to make a family. I was cursed as a young woman unable to bare children and…"

"And you thought I would heal you? Don't you know that healing like that, magic like that, it comes with a price."

"I am willing to pay it. Whatever it is, I just wish to give my husband a child of his own flesh and blood." The queen said looking at the great lady before dropping to her knees "Please Lady of Lake Nostos, I beg of you please let me drink of these waters so I may be healed."

The Siren looked at the queen and came closer to her looking her over several times. She reached down and drew a silver goblet holding it out to the queen "The price for this drink is high and you will pay the ultimate price for what you want."

The queen took the goblet and with shaking hands took a sip and gasped as her hand flew to her belly "Wh….what?" she looked at the siren and then to her guards "We need to return to the kingdom, now!"


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome to Storybrooke

Storybrooke. 2005

Elizabeth Spencer was your typical teenager, she was spunky, was a good student, your average cheerleader. At 16 all she wanted was to please her father and get out of high school. Her favorite subject was art and she loved to be in Miss Blanchard's 7th period. She was a teen who never questioned anyone, she listened to those older than she and obeyed their every command. She was the daughter any father would be proud of, and when you were the daughter of the town's district attorney that's all you strove for. Elizabeth and her father had a complicated relationship to say the least. When she was small her mother and older brother had been killed in an accident leaving Albert to raise the then 3-year-old on his own. He did his best, but there was always something off between them. Elizabeth was never allowed to attend school dances, she went to school and then came straight home. Her only alone time was when she babysat the mayor's son Henry.

Elizabeth looked forward to those Friday nights because it gave her a chance to breathe, to be a normal teenager. To order a pizza and watch as much tv as she wanted. As Henry got older Elizabeth never noticed that she did not age as the boy did. It was on one of these weird nights that Henry said something to the teen. The two were snuggled on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and Henry's favorite Disney movie _Snow White_ , Elizabeth never understood the movie and never understood why the queen had such an issue with the princess. The cartoon wasn't that pretty and honestly the prince was a little weird. Who kisses a girl in a glass coffin? Weirdest movie ever. The movie ended, and the 4-year-old turned to Elizabeth and looked at her "Lizzie, how old are you?"

Elizabeth looked at him completely confused "I'm 16 Henry."

Henry counted on his little fingers and frowned "But you were 16 last year."

Elizabeth looked at him completely confused "No, I was…." She trailed off as the door opened and the mayor walked in "Madam Mayor, welcome home. I'm sorry Henry's still up."

Regina smiled at the teen and waved her hand "It's alright Lizzie, a late night now and then won't hurt him. But you better be on your way home now. Don't want your father to wonder where you are."

"Right you are, thanks. Henry said the weirdest thing to me tonight."

"What did he say?"

"He said I was 16 last year, and that I'm not aging." She laughed a little "Anyways, have a good night." She smiled walking out she reached the gate and placed her hand on it confused

"Lizzie!" she turned to see Regina walking quickly down the walk.

"Yes?" the teen said.

"Did you and Henry watch Snow White tonight?"

"We did, I'm sorry he wouldn't stop pestering me about it."

Regina smiled slightly and held out a cup "Don't worry about it, here a warm drink for your walk home."

Elizabeth took the cup with a small smile "Thank you Madam Mayor. I guess I should get home, I have a lot of homework to do this weekend. Miss Blanchard gave us a big project three weeks ago and I never finished it." She smiled again and walked away taking a sip of the warm liquid. Halfway through town she stopped and looked around trying to remember what she had been doing and why she was in town.

"Elizabeth?" she heard a stern voice behind her.

She shook her head and turned "Hi daddy."

Albert Spencer walked towards her with his hands shoved deep in his tan coat "Where have you been? Regina said she sent you home three hours ago."

"Thr…what? No I just left there. She gave me….something and I….I don't feel well." She said looking at her father before dropping the cup and grabbing her side.

"Elizabeth!" her father caught her just before she fell and just before the world around her went black.

 _Abrielle don't run so fast!_ Someone yelled with a laugh chasing her.

 _Keep up Jamie! You can't catch me!_ She watched as a little girl ran past with an older boy following right behind her.

 _Just you wait, when I get you I'm going to give you such a noogie._ The boy she assumed was Jamie started to get closer and the younger girl began climbing a tree.

 _You just try it Princie Jamie!_ She said sticking her tongue out climbing higher.

 _Abrielle stop running, you're going to fall and if you rip your dress father will get mad at both of us!_ Jamie yelled looking on in fear.

 _I won't fall. I am a great climber!_ The little girl giggled climbing higher and higher. She stepped on a branch and heard a crack. She went to move to another branch but it broke and she fell screaming.

 _Abri!_

Elizabeth woke with a start looking at the white walls surrounding her. Her breathing was labored as she looked to the corner of the room where her father sat slumped over "Daddy?"

Albert stirred and rushed to her bedside "Lizzie, you're awake. Let me go get Dr. Whale." He left the room leaving his daughter looking ever confused.

Dr. Whale walked in with a smile on his face and looked at her "It's good to have you back among the land of the living Miss Spencer." He looked at her and she looked even more confused.

"Dr. Whale, what happened?"

"What do you remember?"

"I was babysitting Henry Mills and then I was here."

"You were found wandering the square. Your appendix burst and you were going into septic shock." The doctor explained looking at the machines again "If your father hadn't found you when he did, it would have been too late."

She looked towards her father and saw tears brimming his eyes "Don't cry daddy, I'm ok."

"The thought that I might lose you, like your brother and mother. I can't bear the thought." He said taking her hand in his squeezing it.

"Elizabeth, you're awake. How wonderful." The two looked up to see the mayor standing in the doorway holding a flower.

"Madam Mayor, thank you, you didn't have to come see me." Elizabeth said looking at her with a small smile.

"Of course I did dearie, you're Henry's favorite babysitter and when I heard about you ending up in the hospital I had to make sure you were ok. I'm just glad to see you are finally awake."

"Finally? How long was I out?"

"A week." Dr. Whale said walking out to grab her chart.

"A week?! What about my project? Oh I'm going to be kicked off the cheer squad!"

Albert chuckled "I have spoken with the school and Miss Blanchard and your project will be accepted when you come back to class."

"Such a great teacher our Miss Blanchard." Regina said with a flash of her eyes "Well I must be off. I am very happy to see you are ok Lizzie dear." And with that the mayor walked out as quickly as she had walked in.

"So when can I go home and get back to school?"

Dr. Whale walked back in looking at her chart "Your system is clear and you are healthy once more. So Mr. Spencer if you will follow me we will start those discharge papers and you will be on your way home. And as for school, I think returning on Monday will be just fine."

"Home." The word sounded so wonderful to the teen and she couldn't wait to be in her own bed again.


End file.
